


eyes of gold and hearts of old

by ifeelpersonallyattacked



Series: the bitter scent of lemons and your cologne [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alfor (Voltron) Lives, Altea (Voltron), Altean Adam, Alternate Universe - Dance, Daibazaal - Freeform, Derogatory Language, Galra Empire, Galra Shiro (Voltron), Happy Ending, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love at First Sight, M/M, Prince Shiro, Princes & Princesses, Shiro the Hero, Stereotypes, What else is new, adam is a dancer, sendak is a shithead as usual, soft, sorta - Freeform, there's a peace summit, they are whipped for each other, they're neighboring kingdoms and they don't like each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 20:09:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20102923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifeelpersonallyattacked/pseuds/ifeelpersonallyattacked
Summary: Adam is a dancer with the Royal Altean Dance Troupe, tasked with performing for the nobility of Daibazaal, a country Altea has been hostile with for years. Once there, a chance encounter with one of the princes leads to the best performance of his life. But emotions can be dangerous, as can those eyes of gold...Written for Adashi Month Day 6 + 8: Galtean and Royalty





	eyes of gold and hearts of old

**Author's Note:**

> lmaoooooooo this is super late but enjoy!!

“Adam! Adam, wake up!”

A tense hand on his shoulder quickly awoke Adam from his catnap, but there wasn’t any time for him to recuperate before the owner of the hand, his best friend Romelle, was smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes and fluffing up his hair. 

“Hey! What--” Adam sputtered, batting her hand away, “What’s the big hurry?”

Romelle didn’t answer. She was too busy looking out the windows of the carriage they were currently riding in, lips pursed and looking extremely worried. 

Adam knew immediately why she looked that way and truth be told, he didn’t feel much better. Looking out his window only confirmed his suspicions. 

They had arrived in Daibazaal. And if the stories had been anything to go by, it wouldn’t be a very pleasant stay. 

Daibazaal and Adam’s home country, Altea, had been hostile towards each other for generations. While they were never technically at war, disagreements over borders, policy, and other trivial things had led to the mutual hatred of each other lasting as far back as most people could remember. As time went on, tensions rose and their relationship only deteriorated further after several skirmishes on the border that were rumored to have been encouraged by Daibazaal’s former ruler, Emperor Zarkon. 

However, just this past deca-phoeb, the two current rulers of the two countries had agreed to come together and try to negotiate a peace treaty that would bring an official end to the two nations’ hostility. In fact, it had been Empress Krolia that had reached out to Altea’s king in the first place, as an official order of business conducted after she had overthrown her cruel father. King Alfor had accepted immediately, having considered a meeting himself, and the trip to Daibazaal was quickly arranged. 

At first, the logistics were hard to arrange. Neither ruler wanted to leave their home country, for fear that the whole thing would end up being a trap. In the end, though, it was decided that eleven Galran nobles and high-ranking officials would depart Daibazaal for the diplomatic meeting and go to Altea as collateral in exchange for the Altean royal family making the trip over to Daibazaal for negotiations. 

However, it wasn’t just the Altean royal family making the trip. In order to show their good will for their hosts, they had decided a showcase of Altean culture would be necessary to foster good relations and perhaps break the ice a bit. That showcase, they decided, would come in the form of the Altean Royal Dance Troupe. 

The Altean Royal Dance Troupe was exactly what it sounded like. It was a group of exactly six dancers that regularly performed for the royal family and any visiting monarchs or diplomats. Not just any dancers, however, but the greatest dancers Altea had to offer. Many young Alteans dreamed of being able to perform in the troupe and to earn a spot made one equivalent to a noble in the public’s eyes. There was a lengthy audition and interview process attached, so only the very best made it through. They were known for being beautiful, and coupled with their amazing dance prowess, it made them the pride of Altea and the envy of other nations. Of course, Altea would jump at the chance to show them off. 

But Adam, who normally was quite happy to be a member, felt like he wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground and disappear. 

“How can we be here already?” Adam asked faintly, feeling an unpleasant roiling in his stomach, “We’ve only been traveling for a few quintants…”

Romelle looked back at him and cracked a slight smile, although it didn’t reach her eyes. “Well, you have been sleeping for the past few vargas. It probably seems like the journey’s been shorter than it actually has.”

She turned to her brother Bandor, a fellow member of the Troupe who was also fast asleep, and began shaking him with measurable ferocity. “Bandor, wake up! We’re in Daibazaal.”

Bandor jerked up, his reddish-brown hair going in every which way. “Huh? Whazzappening?” 

Romelle rolled her eyes and pointed out the window, where the harsh red rock native to Daibazaal was flying by. “We’re in Daibazaal. I expect we’ll be at the Galra Palace in less than half a varga. You’d better tame that wild mane of yours--” she gestured vaguely to Bandor’s wild hair, “--before we meet the Empress.”

As Bandor desperately tried to flatten out his lockes, Adam turned his attention back to the window. Daibazaal didn’t seem like a very fun place to live. It wasn’t full of poisonous geysers and toxic smog like everyone back home had said, but it certainly wasn’t a paradise. The ground the carriage was currently traveling on was a dry red rock of some sort, and it didn’t seem like there were any plants growing anywhere. How did they grow food to survive? How was their livestock fed?

Those kinds of questions were swirling around Adam’s head as they slowly, but surely, began entering the Imperial City of Daibazaal. It started off as just a few buildings scattered here and there, but it eventually became a series of structures that seemed fairly high-tech and modern. Soon, they were in the heart of the city and it seemed as if every single person in it had come outside their homes and businesses to see the Altean carriages roll past. It made Adam want to shrink down in his seat and wither away to nothingness. 

Of course, those kinds of wishes never come true, and soon enough, Adam found his carriage pulling up to a magnificent palace seemingly constructed of black onyx and a red jewel that Adam didn’t recognize. Its architecture rivaled that of the Altean palace and he felt himself perk up a bit for the first time since entering the Daibazaalian borders. Surely it wouldn’t be  _ too  _ bad if the palace was this grandiose. 

He spared a glance at Romelle and Bandor, who looked similarly in awe of the palace. Bandor was craning his neck to see the top of the tallest spire on the palace and Romelle was trying not to stare at the many Galra servants that were hurrying around the courtyard that they’d arrived in, probably doing some last minute prepping for their arrival. A few of them seemed to be heading in the direction of their carriages, which caused a bit of alarm in the more primitive part of Adam’s brain, but he quickly realized they were just footmen and nothing more. 

_ If you’re going to be here for the next movement,  _ Adam told himself stubbornly,  _ you’re going to have to get rid of all your stereotypes or else you’re going to offend someone beyond diplomatic repair.  _

Nevertheless, his smile was just the tiniest bit strained as the Galra footman opened the carriage door and offered his hand. Adam took it with practiced poise and tried hard not to stare at the Galra’s purple fluffy ears and clawed fingers as he stepped outside for the first time in more than a varga. He moved to the side to allow for Bandor and Romelle to exit and right away, he was in Royal Dance Troupe mode(as Bandor called it). His posture became perfect(despite the ache in his back from slouching in the carriage), his hands were neatly folded in front of him, and his expression was regally distant. Just as Master Tavo, their dance and etiquette instructor, had taught him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Romelle and Bandor assume the same positions, as well as the other three members of their troupe by another carriage to his far left. 

The members of the royal family had not yet exited their carriage, as was customary in Altean culture. Although the carriage was to be first in any procession, they would always exit last to be greeted personally by their hosting monarch. 

And it seemed they didn’t have to wait long. The Galra who had been standing off to the side holding Galran instruments had begun assuming formation on either side of a long black rollout carpet, presumably where the royal family of Daibazaal would walk out to greet their visitors. Adam watched with heightened curiosity as they all raised their instruments to their lips in unison and began to play a fast, minor melody that reminded Adam very much of a dramatic dance the Troupe had done for the Olkarion ambassadors several phoebs back. It was quite nice, as a matter of fact, and Adam had to stop himself from swaying on his feet several times.

The song went on for several doboshes before the heralds finally put their instruments down and one stepped forward with a piece of parchment paper. 

“Introducing...Her Esteemed Royal Majesty, Ruler of all Galra--Empress Krolia of Daibazaal!”

The tall double doors at the end of the courtyard flew open, revealing a tall, rather formidable looking Galra woman standing behind them. She looked to be in silver ceremonial armor, decorated with black and red trim. A simple obsidian crown sat on her head and a rich purple cape hung off her back. The Empress was considerably less furry than many of her servants, but there was no question she was Galra. Her rather severe yellow eyes and identical stripes on both cheeks proved that enough. She began to walk towards the carriage, looking every bit the war queen she was. The occupants of said carriage had still not gotten out to greet her, however, and Adam was deeply worried they might offend her in some way. Why  _ hadn’t  _ they gotten out? Was it because no footmen had helped them? It seemed impossible that nobody would notice them, their carriage was by far the biggest and most opulent. 

Adam snuck a glance at Romelle, who was gazing worriedly between the Empress and the royal carriage. Most likely she was having the exact same thoughts Adam was. 

The dancer watched with bated breath as Empress Krolia finally reached the royal carriage and had to stifle a gasp as she reached forward and pulled the doors open  _ herself.  _

Perhaps it was just an Altean thing, but Altean nobles and royals never opened carriage doors by themselves, not if they didn’t have to. And there were dozens of servants around, why couldn’t they do it?

Adam kept his eyes trained on the royal family as they were helped down by the Galran Empress one by one. The Royal Advisor, Coran, came first. His thick orange mustache was quite visible from Adam’s position and he gave a low bow. Queen Melenor came next, her royal manners shining through as she smiled in thanks to the Empress and stepped daintily onto the ground below. Then, the Princess Allura, who looked every bit the princess she was raised to be. She gave a small curtsy to the Empress and then joined her mother and Coran. Finally, the King of Altea, King Alfor emerged from the carriage and accepted the Empress’s offer of help down, though Adam was sure he didn’t need it. None of the royals or Coran looked uncomfortable at this rather strange way of greeting. In fact, Alfor was grinning rather widely as he gestured all around the courtyard, seemingly amazed by the architecture as well. Empress Krolia looked rather pleased and said a few words back. 

And just like that, Krolia and Alfor were chatting like old friends and walking back into the palace, with the rest of the royals hurrying to catch up. 

Adam was stunned. There was no way they could be that nice to each other when they had just met. And considering the centuries of hostilities between their two countries, it would be nothing short of a miracle if the two got along right away. Perhaps they had already become friends through their correspondence? Or maybe they were both just putting on an act for the public, in order to give the people more faith in them and their diplomatic skills. 

Enraptured as he was by the monarchs, he almost didn’t notice an old Galra woman that had hobbled up to the three of them. Despite the fact that she was nearly a half a foot taller than Adam, her warm smile and grandmotherly look dispersed any wary thoughts Adam might’ve had about her. 

“Hello, dears,” she said, a pleasant grate in her voice, “Our Empress has instructed me to bring you up to some of our finest guest suites so you can freshen up before your performance. The suites are right by our dance studio, so you should have no trouble finding it.” She gestured weakly to their suitcases lashed to the back of the carriages. “Your luggage should be brought up shortly.”

Adam smiled gratefully and bowed his head in thanks. “Our troupe thanks you for your Empress’s hospitality and we look forward to our stay here.” 

The old woman matched his smile and beckoned them to follow her as she hobbled over to Luka, Merla, and Hira, who was the leader of their troupe. She repeated the same thing she had just told the three of them, to which Hira responded with something that was scarily similar to what Adam had just said. 

“When did you learn how to talk like Hira?” Romelle muttered out of the corner of her mouth a few doboshes later, while they were walking towards their quarters, “You sounded just like her.”

“Well, I’m next in line for Troupe Leader once she retires,” Adam muttered back, “Might as well start practicing now.”

That gave Romelle a good chuckle that earned her a hard nudge from Luka. 

The walk passed without further incident. When they finally arrived at their quarters, Adam was quite surprised by the lavish...well, everything. It almost seemed too luxurious to be true. It wasn’t as if they expected to be sleeping in the stables or anything, but these seemed fit for visiting royalty, not a dance troupe. 

The beds were four-poster and had curtains around them for privacy; they were also quite large. The comforter on them looked thick and comfortable; in fact, Adam wanted nothing more than to lay down on it and sleep for a hundred years. 

The beds each had their own private nightstand, filled with every amenity they could ever want. There was a basket of soaps and chocolate, bags of Altean tea, and a jewellery box filled to the brim with precious gems. 

The rooms themselves were quite spacious and covered with elegant tapestries and carpeting. Each came with their own private balcony overlooking the city. They also had their own private bathrooms, equipped with a large bathtub and luxurious looking shower.

It was beautiful; it was decadent; and it was all theirs for a whole movement. 

“My Empress bids me tell you it is most regrettable you all can’t have your own rooms,” the old lady said then, a sorrowful tone filling her voice, “Unfortunately, only three rooms are in close proximity to the studio, so you will have to share.”

“Oh, don’t spare it another thought!” Hira said, scandalized, “We are more than happy with our accommodations. Please relate this to your Empress.”

The old lady beamed, her fluffy ears twitching in happiness. “I’m glad to hear that.” 

She shuffled back to the entrance of the room they were all currently crowded in and bowed deeply. “You will have about two vargas to freshen up and practice before your performance. Someone will come up at that time to escort your troupe to the Great Hall. And on behalf of our entire staff, welcome to Daibazaal.”

And with that, she bowed herself out, still beaming at them as the doors shut behind her. For a moment, everyone just stared at the spot she had been, wondering if this all could be real. Most of them had expected the Galra to be some bumbling, stumbling idiots that couldn’t tell left from right. But from what they’d seen so far, Galra seemed to be a very capable people. Perhaps even more capable than the Alteans, considering the conditions they had to live in. Maybe it was really time to examine their stereotypes they had against the Galra--

“Alright!” Hira said briskly, snapping them all out of their thoughts, “We have only two vargas to practice, so everyone change into your practice outfits and let’s get to work. I expect you in the studio in no more than three doboshes.” 

They all scrambled to follow Hira out the door and dragged in their luggage that had been brought up while they were still marveling at the room. It was quickly decided that they would room by seniority, so Adam would have to room without Romelle or Bandor. Instead, he’d have to room with Hira. Hira was extremely hard on the troupe, sometimes even more than Master Tavo. She would always critique their performances extremely harshly, even if Adam thought they had done wonderfully. He knew that if he was going to room with her, he’d never hear the end of how “disastrous” their performance was. 

“Adam!” Hira barked, “Stop staring off into space and let’s go! We don’t have all quintant!” 

Adam sighed and begrudgingly dragged his luggage down to the end of the hall, where Hira determined their room would be. It was the closest to the studio, so it didn’t surprise him. 

He quickly changed into his practice outfit, took a deep breath, and headed out to the practice studio. Hira, of course, hadn’t even bothered to come back to their room. Instead, she chose to change in the studio and begin practicing right away. 

They trickled in one by one, and the  _ tick  _ everyone had arrived, Hira set them to work. 

For the next varga-and-a-half, Hira worked them to the ground, demanding perfection in everything. Of course, they had all perfected that particular routine movements ago, but Hira somehow found faults in almost everything they did. Luka’s back wasn’t arched as gracefully as it should’ve been, Merla’s legs weren’t straight enough, Bandor’s pirouettes didn’t have enough revolutions; nitpicky things like that. In Adam’s humble opinion, they looked marvelous and everyone would surely be impressed. It wasn’t as if Empress Krolia would refuse to sign a peace treaty over things as silly as pirouette revolutions. But that’s the way Hira made it sound, so they had no choice but to obey. 

Finally, with just over thirty doboshes left until the performance, Hira brought the practice the practice to an end. Adam knew why, of course. If they were all tired from their practice, they wouldn’t do well in the actual performance. Hira knew that as well, she wasn’t stupid. 

“I want everyone outside their rooms changed and ready in twenty-five doboshes,” she ordered, herding them out of the room as if they were children, “Make sure you shower and eat something small. You don’t want to be hungry during the performance, but you don’t want to be starving either. And make sure to--”

“We get it, Hira.” Merla said, rolling her eyes, “You don’t need to keep repeating it. We know.” 

Hira looked disgruntled, but didn’t say anything more as Romelle, Bandor, Luka, and Merla all drifted off to their rooms, leaving Hira and Adam standing alone in the hallway. 

“Well,” Hira said snappily, “I’ll be in the shower.” 

And with that, she disappeared into their room, Adam following her a few ticks after. 

The thirty doboshes were a blur. As they went on, Adam became more and more nervous for their performance. He had performed in front of foreign dignitaries before, but none had so much riding on it. Gods, he needed to stop listening to Hira’s rants before they ended up consuming him. 

After both he and Hira had finished their shower, they dressed in their performance outfits in silence. Perhaps they were both feeling the nervous energy that permeated the air around them, consumed in thoughts of ‘what if’. 

Their performance outfits were a sight to behold, though, and seeing himself in the mirror made his tensions ease up a bit. He was wearing a cropped golden shirt, which was sleeveless and had a halter neckline that shimmered everytime he so much as breathed. The sleeves, which were see-through and puffed out, were the same golden color. The pants were similarly puffed out for more mobility and around his waist was a pale turquoise waist chain. His dance slippers were the same shimmery gold as the shirt and pants, tapering to a point at the ends. His necklace, bracelets, rings, and body chain were all turquoise to match the waist chain, and all in all, looked very put together. 

The last part of the outfit was a veil designed to obscure most of his face, save for his eyes and orange Altean markings. It added a layer of mystery to everything; or at least that was what Master Tavo said. 

At last, it was time. Hira was already waiting by the door, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked quite nice in her matching outfit, he had to admit. 

“Alright, I’m coming…” he muttered, giving himself one last once over before joining her in walking out the door to wait for their escort. Luka and Merla were already outside, talking quietly, and Hira walked over to join them, leaving Adam alone. He didn’t have to wait long, as Romelle and Bandor had just come out. Both of them looked rather frazzled. 

“Sorry,” Romelle said to Adam once she reached him, “Bandor couldn’t figure out how to work the shower head, so we had to rush a little to put our costumes on.”

Adam chuckled good-naturedly and took to evening out Romelle’s uneven sleeves and straightening Bandor’s veil, humming their dance music as he did. 

Then, much too fast it seemed, their escort(a tall Galra man) had arrived and before Adam knew it, they were walking down to the Great Hall to perform. 

“Oh, gods…” Bandor mumbled beside him, fiddling with his body chain, “I’m so nervous...what if I mess up my twirls? Or that one leap across the floor…”

Adam smiled and ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” he reassured, “I’ve seen you in practice, you’re amazing. You wouldn’t have gotten into the troupe if you weren’t.”

Bandor seemed to perk up a bit at that and didn’t talk for the rest of the journey. Romelle seemed to be going over the steps in her head and didn’t speak. Adam thought it was best not to interrupt her. 

It was all too soon that they arrived at the gargantuan double doors that led to the Great Hall. Instinctually, they lined up in order of seniority and made their faces ones of serene and unbothered beauty. None of them had to speak, or even wanted to. Adam was afraid that if he did, he might start retching. He had never felt more nervous in his life than at that very moment. 

“When these doors open, please proceed inside and you will be introduced one by one,” the Galra man said, sounding almost bored, “After that, the Empress’s children will greet you personally and your performance will commence. Any questions? Good.” He went on, not even bothering to listen for any inquiries. “Our kingdom thanks you for your dedication.” And with that, he was gone, walking away without a care in the world. 

Adam’s head was spinning. The Empress’s children? They hadn’t been told this would happen! He hadn’t even known the Empress had any children. It made sense, considering someone would have to rule Daibazaal after Empress Krolia had passed on, but the thought that he might have to meet with them got his stomach roiling in a very unpleasant way. He didn’t think they were important enough to the diplomatic proceedings, but clearly that wasn’t right. 

“Well--” Hira said, her voice wavering just a tad, “You all know the drill. Heads high, steps light. We’ll be fine.” 

Not five ticks after she had finished her sentence, the doors to the Great Hall suddenly began opening with a magnificent  _ creak!.  _ Before Adam knew it, Hira was striding into the Hall and it was all he could do to keep his composure as he followed her. 

The Royal Altean Dance Troupe had to learn very early on to not show any emotions on their faces, lest they break the fantasy of some otherworldly beauties. Adam had long since mastered the technique, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t completely freaking out on the inside. They had just walked onto what seemed to be a makeshift stage; a raised platform that was made of smooth wood perfect for dancing on. In front of them was what Adam assumed to be the head table, where the royal family and their guests ate their meals. It was quite long and spanned around three-quarters of the width of the room. Behind them were many smaller tables, most likely where less important visitors took their meals. There were many people seated there, at least a few hundred if Adam had to guess. Most were probably Galran nobles and their families, military members, and other people considered important to Daibazaal. 

The Galran Empress was seated smack in the middle of the table facing them and was gazing at them with a rather intense look in her eye. She was still dressed in the same ceremonial armor, but she was not alone this time. To her right sat King Alfor, Melenor, Allura, and Coran, who all looked freshened up and excited for the upcoming performance. But directly to Coran’s right sat a young woman who looked strikingly similar to the Empress, save for the fact her skin was more blue-tinged and she lacked any facial stripes. She looked even more severe than the Empress; a cold sort of beauty that Adam had to look away from in order to keep from getting more nervous than he already was. To the left of the Empress sat two men; one who looked like he couldn’t be any older than a teenager and another who looked to be a young man. The younger one had the lightest skin out of all of them, in fact, Adam could only just barely see the purple in his skin. His hair was black as night, which Adam thought to be unusual. It was a rare color among the Galra; all of the Galra he had seen either had purple hair or lacked any hair at all. His expression reminded Adam of a dog that had just been awoken from his nap. It was certain he didn’t want to be here. The other one, the older one, looked similar to the teenager. His hair was black, save for a shock of white. His skin was a slightly darker shade of purple than the teenager’s and there was a large scar across the bridge of his nose. He also had a strong jaw that looked as if it could cut Adam with one touch. He was the only one of the three who looked genuinely interested to be there and his eyes were wide and alert as he gazed upon them. Slowly, his eyes roamed to Adam and Adam found himself blushing. The man was  _ quite  _ handsome, and it didn’t help that he was looking at Adam as if he wanted to undress him right there. 

Adam wanted to stare into those eyes forever, but he knew it would be unwise to get distracted right before a performance. He tore his eyes away from the man’s and there was a sudden realization that struck him. All three of the Empress’s companions were wearing crowns, which could only mean one thing. 

These were the Empress’s children. 

Adam knew it had been coming, but his heart began fluttering in his chest like a bird trapped in a cage. These were the people he’d have to “personally greet” as the escort had put it. Which, of course, meant he’d be close to the handsome prince. Dear gods. 

Despite the fact that Adam’s mind was occupied with visions of the unfairly attractive Galra prince, it was almost second nature how his feet moved to their designated starting position. It wasn’t exactly complicated, they simply moved from a vertical line to a horizontal one, so they could easily be seen by everyone. It was a bit harder keeping his face serene, granted that one of the princes was staring at him very openly, but he managed to avoid darkening his blush. Thank the gods for the veil. 

During the time they had taken to get into formation, a very short and stout Galra man had risen from his seat in the back and had hurried up to the side of the raised platform, clutching a paper scroll in his hand. He looked rather frazzled, as if he had forgotten this was his duty, but he unrolled the scroll with an air of importance anyway. Clearing his throat, he began to speak in a very loud voice that carried over the entire room. 

“Welcome, citizens of Daibazaal, to the very first Daibazaalian-Altean Peace Summit! We have some esteemed guests with us tonight, who have traveled very far to be with us today. Please pay your respects to his Royal Majesty, King Alfor of Altea--” King Alfor stood up and faced the crowd, placing a hand on his heart and bowing slightly, “--her Royal Majesty, Queen Melenor of Altea--” Queen Melenor rose as well, mimicking her husband’s actions, “--and her Royal Highness, Princess Allura of Altea!” Princess Allura bounced up from her seat, curtsying prettily and beaming. Before the royal herald had even finished his introductions, the crowd was on their feet, cheering and clapping and whistling so loud it took all of Adam’s strength to not cover his ears. 

The royal family seemed pleased at their welcome and turned back to the stage, with King Alfor graciously helping his wife and daughter back into their seats before sitting down himself. The cheering died down immediately, which made Adam wonder if it had all been a forced ruse. It certainly seemed like it, judging by their rather stony faces. 

“And now, I’d like to introduce our entertainment for the night,” the herald continued, “The Royal Altean Dance Troupe! They are known throughout the galaxy for their skills in the fine arts and their bewitching beauty, and will be performing for us tonight. But first, as a gesture of good will, our Empress has delegated her children to be the first ones to personally greet them.” As if on cue, the three children all stood up, their backs straight as a line. 

“Introducing...his Royal Highness, First-Born of Empress Krolia, and Commander of the Galra Army...Prince Takate!” The handsome prince Adam had been eyeing earlier turned to the crowd and waved, earning a round of raucous applause. He then began walking along the length of the table and then turned so he was walking directly toward them. His movements were practiced and poised, every bit the prince he was born to be. His outfit was quite similar to his mother’s, but he was wearing a military jacket draped over his shoulders with several tiny medals pinned to it. All throughout his slow walk up to the platform, his eyes were trained on Adam. They did not leave him even once as he slowly ascended the platform stairs and the royal herald announced “Princess Acxa, Second-Born of Empress Krolia, and High General of the Galra Army” and “Prince Yorak, Youngest of Empress Krolia, and Blade of Marmora”. 

Prince Takate reached Hira first and bowed low at the waist, taking her hand and bringing it up to his lips in a soft, chaste kiss. Adam felt a small surge of an unpleasant feeling rise inside him, but he hadn’t the slightest idea why. It was probably just the nervousness at meeting such an important person showing up. Yes, he decided, that was it. 

Adam never once took his eyes off the man as he rose up and smiled warmly at Hira. He didn’t say anything, but it was clear that he was genuinely happy that they were there. Prince Takate bowed once more and then turned his attention to Adam, shifting his stance so he was directly in front of him. He did the exact same thing, bowing low and taking Adam’s hand. Adam couldn’t help but shiver a bit as the man’s lips touched the top of his hand. They were soft, something he didn’t expect from a Galra prince. It was quite nice actually, and lo and behold, Adam’s face began heating up once again. Now really, what was the matter with him? He had met plenty of attractive foreign leaders over his time as a dancer, but none had made him blush like a starry-eyed child before. 

The Prince, to his credit, didn’t comment on Adam’s woefully un-dancerlike flush and stood to his full height, gazing into Adam’s eyes. Gazing into his soul, more like. It was like the man had put him in a trance; he simply couldn’t look away no matter how much he wanted to. At one point he could’ve swore the man murmured “beautiful…”, but that was simply absurd. Sure, the Troupe was renowned for their beauty, but a prince such as he probably had his choosing of any person he wanted, people who were much more attractive. Compared to them, he was nothing special. 

And just like that, the spell was broken. The prince broke eye contact and bowed, moving on to Luka. Then Merla, then Romelle, and then finally Bandor. Adam, throughout it all, could not take his eyes off the prince. How gentle he was, the fact that he would bow to Alteans, ones who weren’t even royalty. It was  _ quite  _ attractive to a more primitive part of Adam’s brain, one that had been yearning for someone to share his life with for decaphoebs. Of course, he knew it was unattainable. There was no way he could share his life with a prince; he was not royalty. He didn’t even know why he was so fixated on him in the first place. It was probably only because he was attractive, foreign, and mysterious. And he needed to put him out of his brain immediately, lest his performance suffer for it. 

As the prince walked off the platform, it seemed(trick of light, most likely) that Prince Takate was trying to catch his eye, but Adam stubbornly refused to even glance at him. As Princess Acxa came up to greet them, as Prince Yorak came up to greet them, he gazed straight ahead. He made his best attempt to empty his mind and go over the steps of the dance he was to perform in only a few doboshes. He would _not _think of Prince Takate and his strong jaw and his fluffy hair and his intense eyes or his strong arms that could pin him down--

“Now for the moment that we’ve all been anxiously awaiting. The Royal Altean Dance Troupe will now perform one of their most anticipated seasonal performances, entitled “Stars Cannot Keep Me From You.” 

Quiznak. Quiznak, quiznak, quiznak. This could not be happening. Why wouldn’t his mind empty? Dear gods, he was so screwed. He could only imagine what Hira would say afterwards. 

As they got into their starting positions, Adam felt his heart pounding like never before. Usually, he was quite calm before all his dances. It never occurred what might happen if he wasn’t. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to ruminate over the possibilities. The music, a wild and free sort of lute melody, began and Adam threw himself into it with all he had. 

Truth be told, he didn’t remember much of the dance itself. The leaps and spins and turns all began to blur together after a certain point and later, when he would look back on it, he would not remember the specific choreography. All he would remember was the emotion he was expressing and the story that he was telling. 

Their dance told the story of a well-known Altean legend. There were two lovers, who were so desperately in love they’d be willing to do anything for the other. The only problem was that their families did not approve of their love and did everything in their power to keep them apart. They tried to get their families to see reason, but they would not. Eventually, they got so sick and tired of it all that they sought out a mystic that would allow them to be together. The mystic agreed and transformed them into twin stars, so they could be together until the end of time. 

Adam and Hira, being the most senior dancers, played the roles of the two lovers. In rehearsals, at first it had been terribly awkward pretending to be in love with Hira, but here...it was effortless. He wasn’t Adam, and she wasn’t Hira. Their names had been lost to history, but their love would live on through the ages. Their embraces weren’t practiced, they were  _ passionate.  _ It was like he was being born again on that stage, young and whole and alive. 

They spun around each other, desperately trying to reach the hand of the other as their families pulled them away. Finally, they couldn’t take it anymore and broke free of their families’ grasp, leaping off to the mystic that would help them. The mystic(played by Luka) waved her arms and danced in a circle around them until they were nothing more than light and thought. The dance ended with Hira and Adam locked in an embrace, their arms wrapped tight around each other as if the universe would end if they let go. 

The music began to fade, then ended on a marvelously delicate note. The room was silent for a moment, then burst into thunderous applause. This time, it did not stop after a few doboshes like before, but continued long and loud. 

Adam and Hira broke apart and she shot him an approving look; they had clearly done well. Just like always, they moved like clockwork into their line, bowing as low as they could in thanks. Adam caught a glimpse of the Galran Royal Family, all of which looked pleased with the performance. Prince Takate, especially, looked like he would explode with happiness as he stood up, clapping like his life depended on it. Soon, the rest of the royal table had followed suit, then the rest of the room, and soon they were facing a standing ovation. 

Adam felt a warm sense of fulfillment wash over him. This had been one of his best performances yet. He hadn’t missed a single step or botched a single turn. All that fear in the beginning had been for nothing. His emotion had actually helped in his performance, not hurt it. Why had he been so worried? He couldn’t remember. 

As the Troupe raised from their bow, he caught the Prince’s eye and suddenly he remembered. How he had been undressed with his eyes, how he had blushed on stage for the first time in forever, how powerfully he had danced with the Prince in the back of his mind. 

Not even thinking, he took a tiny step forward towards the royal table, his breath hitching ever so slightly. Prince Takate’s eyes widened ever so slightly and his arm raised up from his side, almost as if he was going to reach out for Adam…

Then, there was a very slight tug on his pants(which might as well have been a yank) and Hira was looking at him quite fiercely as she began to walk towards the exit. Of course, the rest of her face was perfectly serene and she had only tugged on his pants once she walked behind him so she wouldn’t be seen, but her eyes were flaming and furious. Shooting one last regretful gaze at the Galran prince, he turned and dutifully followed after Hira. 

Once they had gotten into the wings and out of sight, Hira rounded on Adam, her face contorted with anger. “What is with you today?!” she demanded, “I saw you staring at His Highness before our performance, and then you broke formation after! I thought Master Tavo trained you better than that. You danced wonderfully, I have to admit, but our reputation will be ruined if you keep getting moony-eyed over foreign princes.”

Adam’s mouth was suddenly very dry. Why  _ had  _ he been so taken with him? Handsome royals were not uncommon, so what was so special about this one? “I--”

“Hey, Hira, leave him alone!” a voice suddenly piped up from the back. Adam turned his head only to see Bandor gazing at Hira with a defiant look on his face. He was shaking ever so slightly, but from fear, adrenaline, or anger Adam did not know. It was quite strange to hear Bandor speak, as he was the most junior member of the Troupe and normally did whatever Hira asked of him silently. 

“H-He’s fine!” the boy continued, “Nobody could tell he was looking and nobody would care anyway!” 

Hira blinked. Once, then twice. She stared at Bandor, seemingly so shocked that the youngest and least-experienced member would speak to her in such a manner that she didn’t seem to be able to speak herself. That was lucky for Adam, as he was now not within her line of sight. He inched towards the door, confirmed the coast was clear, then made a mad dash for it, throwing it open and running out before anyone could get a word in edgewise. 

He wasn’t exactly sure why he wanted to get away from the Troupe so badly. Maybe it was because he didn’t feel like being chewed out by Hira for three vargas straight, or maybe it was because he couldn’t get the mysterious prince out of his mind, or maybe it was neither. All he knew was that he had to get away. 

Adam ran and ran and ran until he felt as though his heart would burst out of his chest. His exhaustion from dancing had finally caught up with him and he slumped against a wall, breathing rather heavily. Looking around seemed to be a smart thing to do, so he forced his head up and surveyed the area. He had never seen this part of the castle before. That would make it even harder to find his way back to the dorms. 

Dear gods above, Hira was going to absolutely  _ murder  _ him. 

Footsteps suddenly sounded beside him and Adam whipped his head towards it, an apology forming on his tongue. “My apologies--”

“Hey, it’s alright.” 

The voice that had cut him off belonged to a very tall Galra man, a soldier by the looks of his uniform. He looked to be a standard soldier, with large, furry purple ears and a muscular build. The only thing that was different was that one of his eyes had been replaced by a bionic one, colored red and black instead of the normal yellow. 

“You’re so pretty, I think I’ll let you pass,” the soldier went on, his eyes raking Adam’s body, “You one of those dancers?”

Despite the fact that this soldier and Prince Takate had both let their eyes wander, Adam felt dirty in a way that wasn’t even describable. While Prince Takate’s had been more aesthetic and longing, this man’s gaze was pure sex. He looked as if he was a predator that had just found a delectable piece of prey. 

Still, Adam had experience dealing with creeps who just wanted to charm him into their beds before. He squared his shoulders and straightened his back, trying to regain the regal look on his face. “I am, yes. I’d appreciate it if you could escort me back to the guest rooms near the dance studio.”

The man’s smile grew wider, showing off his sharp teeth. “Sure, sweetie. I can take you there.” He leaned in closer, “I can take you anywhere you want.” 

Adam took a step back, clutching his sides protectively. Come to think of it, he’d rather not go anywhere with this man. “On second thought--” he added, “I think I can find my own way back.” Something about this man seemed off, dangerous. Like he was unhinged in some way, and that made Adam lose all pretense of politeness. 

The Galra man took on an amused expression and took several steps forward until he was practically chest to chest with Adam. “You know…” he mused softly, grabbing Adam’s arm so he couldn’t run, “I’ve always wondered about this one rumor about Alteans. I was hoping you could enlighten me.”

Adam stood, practically paralyzed, as the man took one clawed finger and ran it down his cheek, eyes fixated on his Altean markings. “I’ve heard that when Alteans climax...their cute little markings glow. Perhaps we could find out?” 

Adam let out a choked gasp. What exactly was this man trying to insinuate?! That they go back into his room so the Galra could use him like a common whore? Just what kind of dancer did he think Adam was?!

“How dare--you dare--how could you--let go of me!” Adam stammered, attempting to wrench his arm out of the man’s grasp, “I will do no such thing with you, now  _ let me go!” _

The man only laughed. “Aw, c’mon, baby--” he replied, yanking Adam closer so he was flush against the soldier’s chest, “Haven’t you heard that Galra cock is the biggest in the galaxy? I can personally confirm that.” He thrust his nose into Adam’s hair and inhaled deeply, sending a wave of nausea to course through him. His veil had since long fallen off in the struggle, getting rid of any protection Adam might’ve had. 

“Unhand me!” he demanded, writhing around in the man’s hold, “You don’t want to do this!” 

The soldier didn’t seem to have any trouble keeping Adam in his hold. In fact, he seemed rather pleased Adam was struggling as much as he was. “I do, actually,” he sneered, letting his foul breath fan over Adam’s shoulder, “You’re quite pretty and I’ve never had an Altean in my bed before…” 

His arms snaked over Adam’s back, getting dangerously close to his backside. “You’re a dancer, so let’s see how flexible you really are…”

Adam opened his mouth to scream when a large growl sounded from behind him, effectively silencing them both. He couldn’t turn his head to see who(or what) it was, but the man holding him looked positively terrified. With one swift move, he dropped Adam to the ground at his feet and knelt down on one knee. “My Prince…” 

Adam’s heart gave a jerk and he slowly twisted his body to face the source of the growl. There, standing in the middle of the hallway, was Prince Takate himself, looking like anger incarnate. His teeth were bared to expose his sharp teeth and his eyes were flashing yellow. His ears were flat against his head; all in all, he looked ready to kill. 

“Sendak…” he growled out, “You despicable scum...didn’t you hear him tell you no?”

Sendak refused to meet the prince’s eyes and Adam took the opportunity to scoot away from him, pressing his back against the wall. How did Prince Takate find them anyway? It seemed like they were in a pretty remote part of the castle and he hadn’t seen anyone around for the past ten doboshes. 

“You’re lucky I don’t kill you now…” Prince Takate forced out, his glowing eyes flickering over to where Adam cowered, “I would if I was able to, but I will hold back for now. Instead, I will simply do this.”

And with the speed of light, the Galran prince leapt forward and onto Sendak, punching him square in the nose. Prince Takate was smaller than the Sendak, but the force of the blow sent Sendak flying backwards. He landed in a heap on the floor and did not stir. 

Adam shrunk in on himself as he watched the Prince’s heavy breaths. Had this really just happened? All he wanted was to get away from Hira and the Troupe for a while, he hadn’t wanted all of this! What would this mean for the summit? Oh gods, he’d probably gone and ruined everything. He’d be kicked out of the Troupe, disgraced and ashamed, for something that could’ve been easily avoided--

“Are you hurt?”

Adam jumped a bit, shaken out of his thoughts, when the Prince finally spoke. The anger in his face had gone and had been replaced with pure and genuine concern. He took a step closer, but stopped when Adam involuntarily let out a small whimper. 

“It’s okay, I promise…” the Prince whispered, kneeling down to eye level as if Adam were a frightened animal that would bolt at any moment, “I cannot apologize enough for Sendak’s actions. He will be dealt with accordingly. You will never have to see him again, I give you my word.” 

Adam found himself nodding at Prince Takate’s words, mildly shocked that someone of his stature would be so kind to him. “Y-Yes...thank you,” he whispered hoarsely, “I’m sorry to have caused any trouble.” 

Prince Takate looked positively appalled at his words. “Do not apologize! It is not your fault Sendak tried to force himself onto you.”

Adam pursed his lips and said nothing. If he hadn’t run off, Sendak wouldn’t have found him and none of this would’ve happened. 

The Galran prince seemed to sense Adam’s discomfort and held out one hand. “Can you stand? I’ll escort you back to your quarters.” 

Adam nodded mutely, reaching out a shaky hand to Prince Takate’s outstretched one. He had only just been pulled to his feet when he stumbled and fell against Prince Takate’s chest. His legs were quaking uncontrollably. The Prince immediately caught him and kept him steady, holding him in a position that perfectly allowed Adam to hear his heartbeat, even through his armor. It was racing, which didn’t make any sense at all. 

“Whoa!” the Prince exclaimed, “It’s okay. I’ve got you, I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…” Adam babbled, trying desperately to get himself to stand again, “I don’t know what came over me, I can walk, I promise I can--”

Suddenly, his feet left the ground and he found himself being pressed against Prince Takate’s chestplate. Truth be told, it was a bit uncomfortable, but he couldn’t find it within himself to care. 

“It’s alright, I can carry you,” Prince Takate said, his voice oddly breathy, “I’ll take you to my quarters to rest, it’s not far from here.” 

Adam’s eyes widened and he squirmed in Prince Takate’s hold. “Your Highness! It is highly improper--I couldn’t ask you to--you’ve already done so much--” 

“I insist.” Prince Takate said shortly, beginning to walk in the direction from which he had come, “I will tell anyone who asks that I had simply begged you to. You won’t lose your reputation that way.”

  
  


Adam blushed a deep crimson. “There will be talk...people will say I seduced you…”

Prince Takate’s grip tightened ever so slightly. “I will not let them. I will disperse any rumors that may arise, I assure you.”

It had come to a point where Adam realized Prince Takate wouldn’t budge in his opinion. Dear gods above, he was even more wonderful than what he had fantasized about when he had first laid eyes on him. 

“My name is Adam, by the way,” he told the Prince then, “You should know my name if I am to stay in your quarters.” 

Prince Takate raised an eyebrow. “Cheeky, are we?” He laughed. “Alright, then. Adam. What a lovely name.” 

Adam flushed deeper and turned his face more towards the chestplate. He said nothing more on the subject. 

As they walked on, Adam found himself a bit sleepy. It was understandable, given what had just happened to him. It was also understandable, he reasoned with himself, if he closed his eyes for a couple doboshes. Just until he reached the Prince’s quarters. 

Of course, with his exhaustion being more widespread than what he had once thought, he slowly began to drift off to sleep in the Galran prince’s arms. 

It was rather unusual, though. Just before he drifted off for good, he thought he felt soft lips on his forehead, which lingered there for several ticks. Then, a very faint whisper of: “Beautiful.” 

Four deca-phoebs later at their wedding, when Prince Takate was now known to Adam only as Takashi(a nickname his Earthling grandfather had bestowed upon him), he would announce that in that moment, he knew he would love that man forevermore. It caused Adam to fall into his arms, tears of happiness streaming down his face, and a general ruckus of hoots and hollers. 

But now, in that sleepy, loving moment, all Adam knew was that he was safe in the Prince’s arms.    
  


**Author's Note:**

> leave comments if you enjoyed!!


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